Everyone – A few updates as we head into a holiday weekend:
a. Lake Restoration will perform the other 1/2 algaecide treatment next week (likely the later half of the week depending on weather).
b. We’ve had some reports of swimmers itch. The algaecide chemical being used (copper sulfate) for our treatments is at the maximum amount allowed. Copper sulfate can kill snails if they’re hit with a high enough dose, which will help with the swimmer’s itch problem. But, it’s safe to say the snails will never be eradicated from the ponds (nor will all of the ducks and geese). Below is a link from the MN DNR website about swimmer’s itch.https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/swimming/swimmersitch.html
c. Our ponds is not a designated swimming beaches by the state, county or the city. However, some homeowners choose to swim in the ponds. A team took the initiative to test the water for E coli bacteria. The state guidelines can be found here: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/bacteria
MN states that swimming beaches should not exceed more than 88 per 100 mL in any one sample. Our sample areas were:
– 47.1 (Evergreen Ponds by Bucher Park),
– 56.1 (Sherwood Ponds – middle of the water),
– 326 (Sherwood Ponds – at the inlet next to Sherwood). We’re talking to the city about what they can do to address this one.
– 44.1 (Western part of Evergreen Ponds)
Again, our ponds are not designated swimming beaches and thus any decision to swim in the ponds is the decision of the individual homeowner.